FAIRFAX CITY BOND FOES CRITICIZED

By John BohnOctober 20, 1987

Fairfax City Council member Glenn White attacked critics of the city's $15 million road bond referendum yesterday, calling a leaflet by an organization opposing the bond issue "probably the most flagrantly and blatantly dishonest piece of campaign literature I've seen in 20 years."

His news conference comes at a time when opponents of the referendum say they believe that they are gaining ground with voters. "My guess is that means it {the leaflet} is probably very effective, and he's starting to panic," Robert F. Lederer, a prominent referendum opponent who helped prepare the leaflet, said in a telephone interview after the news conference. "I have not run into anybody in the City of Fairfax, with the exception of the five people {on the City Council} who approved the bond, who favor it."

The council voted 5 to 1 June 24 to put the road project on the Nov. 3 ballot. The project would widen Chain Bridge Road (Rte. 123), from two lanes to four between Kenmore Drive and Warwick Avenue, and it would make Chain Bridge Road one way southbound from Kenmore Drive to Judicial Drive and make University Drive one way northbound from Judicial Drive to Layton Hall Drive.

Two weeks ago, a group called Citizens Against the Referendum began distributing a two-page sheet arguing against approval.

White termed a "flagrant misrepresentation" the leaflet's statement that "the plan would take an existing primary residential street (University Drive) and turn it into a busy north/south corridor." White said that along the section of University Drive that would be improved, there are only eight houses.

"All of University Drive south of the firehouse is residential," said Lederer. He said the Fairfax Mews development would be seriously affected by increased traffic.